As used herein, the term "textiles" means any structure made of raw textile materials and includes materials in both fibrous and sheet form. It is known that heat treatment has a favorable effect on various textiles, such as yarns, etc. for further processing. Textiles can also be conditioned or finished by treatment in a steam phase, if necessary with the addition of chemicals.
Suitable steamers have been known for many years and substantially comprise a cylindrical boiler closable by a pivotable cover. Inside the steamer is a water bath which generates steam by means of a heating device and effects the appropriate heat treatment of the material introduced. To enable the steam to better penetrate the interior of the textiles, a vacuum is generated before the heating device for the water bath is switched on. The vacuum is actively maintained as the heating device is switched on.
These known steamers have the disadvantage that large amount of energy are needed to form and maintain the vacuum. Furthermore, the steam is removed by the vacuum pump and has to be recondensed. This results in only limited steam penetration of the material to be treated and/or long treatment times.
An object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus which use less energy, permit better penetration of the material to be treated and, in addition, reduce cycle times and overall heat treatment time.